Vote `em out

Two teams battle it out to become The Outsiders. Only you

can decide who wins

June 08, 2005|By Karen Budell, the metromix nightlife producer.

Man, judging by the more than 100 teams who applied to be our alfresco aficionados, The Outsiders, you people have a serious case of cabin fever! Though the competition for our next Reader Review crew was tough, these two teams clawed their way to the top. Now their fate is in your hands.

One team has two brothers and two sisters (all in-laws, thanks to a love connection), plus a second guy named Joe; the other group (with the Yu newlyweds) knows each other through one common friend (who was too chicken to apply). Stay tuned: You'll decide where the winning team will go each week, and they'll report back on outdoor bars, brunches and other activities.

Vote for your favorite team at metromix.com, or take action right now by sending a text message to "2redi" (27334) with your vote: "Team A" or "Team B." You have until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, so go ahead and let them out, already!

THE OUTSIDERS: TEAM A

Joe Ptak, 24, health-care professional

Neighborhood: River West

What makes you sweat? Getting up from the couch, background checks, social interaction of any kind, my bear suit, the thought of anything that requires "trying."

What makes your team the ultimate Outsiders? Our appraising capabilities and knack for assigning value to various stimuli are first-rate.

Who's your favorite from "The Outsiders" (Francis Ford Coppola version)? Definitely not Tom Cruise. After seeing his performance on "Oprah," I haven't been able to keep anything I eat down. What a geek.

Laura Adelman, 27, credit analyst

Neighborhood: Old Town

What's better outdoors: brunch or beer? Aren't those the same thing? I'm confused. Is this a trick question? Stop it; you're giving me a headache.

Who's got the better beer garden: Moody's or Mickey's? Are these places in Chicago? Have I been there? Did I go home with you?

Doing it outside is better because . . . Grass stains are much better than rug burns.

What makes you sweat? How dare you ask such a personal question! What gives you the right?

Joe Byrne, 30, financial analyst

Neighborhood: Humboldt Park

Brunch or beer? Um, beer. And I don't think I'm alone in thinking that. I mean, have you ever seen a brunch tent at an outdoor festival? Strangely, beer tents seem quite popular.

Moody's or Mickey's? Can I say Mick-oody's? Take the ambience, glass steins and trees at Moody's; mix in the crowd from Mickey's; and you've got yourself quite a place.

What makes you sweat? Kate from "Lost."

Who was your favorite "Outsider"? Definitely C. Thomas Howell, based only on his outstanding body of work. If you haven't seen "Soul Man," right that wrong now.

Kim Adelman, 30, banker

Neighborhood: River West

Moody's or Mickey's? Hmm. That's a tough one. I'm going to have to say Cody's.

Doing it outside is better because . . . I'm a nature girl; anything that can be done inside can be done twice as well outside. Mmm, that's hot.

What makes you sweat? Nylons in the summer, 20 seconds on the dance floor and the superhot giardiniara from Bari Foods.

What makes your team the ultimate Outsiders? We are the only group offering the 100 percent-satisfaction-or-your-money-back guarantee.

John Ptak, 30, equity analyst

Neighborhood: River West

Brunch or beer? Beer. Growing up, my parents always said they didn't mind if I drank, as long as I did it outside. They said the same thing about sex. OK. They said that about everything (except brunch, which strangely they demanded be enjoyed inside).

Who was your favorite "Outsider"? What difference does it make what I say? The readers are going to vote for whichever group they think has the most hotties.

What makes your team the ultimate Outsiders? We push the envelope and will do anything. Jump out of a plane? We'll do it. Sailing? Bill can hoist the sails; I'll have a beer on deck with the ladies. We're fun and fearless.

Sima Aziz, 29, marketing/sales consultant

Neighborhood: Lakeview

Brunch or beer? Brunch. It's more productive than guzzling beer.

Moody's or Mickey's? Mickey's. The crowd is easy on the eyes; I could lounge there for days.

What makes you sweat? Bikram yoga

What makes your team the ultimate Outsiders? We're like the "Gilligan's Island" cast. Except the gals all want to be Mary Ann.